


Leave a Legacy

by Teribird



Category: Kari-gurashi no Arietti | The Secret World of Arrietty, The Borrowers - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Gen, Love Triangles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-11-05
Packaged: 2019-11-06 07:06:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17935133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teribird/pseuds/Teribird
Summary: “Arrietti, I want you to continue your species”. Sho murmurded to her softly. A firm, gentle smile crossing his lips as he stared intently at her.“Wh-What?!”





	1. Chapter 1

“Arrietti, I want you to continue your species”. Sho murmured to her softly. A firm, gentle smile crossing his lips as he stared intently at her. 

“Wh-What?!” she took a step back, bunching her hands into the warm wool of her favorite red dress. “I don’t understand what you mean, Sho.” 

She glanced across the wide surface of the bed. It was soft, thick sheets piled high. Traversing its surface was like walking through clouds. Or sinking into quicksand. She couldn’t bear to run across it now. Not with Sho watching her so earnestly, his large blue eyes taking in the rising flush on her cheeks and the minute trembling of her fingertips. 

“I love you, Arrietti. You are clever, bold, and perfectly stunning.” his eyes were trained on her as he spoke, his voice in a quiet murmur, deep with intent. It frightened Arrietti, the way he spoke sometimes. With the surety one who has grappled with loneliness and death. 

“At times, I think about how I am dying out. My parents are divorced and I don’t think either could stand replacing me with another child. My family name will be buried with me. 

“And still, there is nothing special about me. There are seven and a half billion people now on this earth. My experience is not unique. It reverberates across the thoughts and stories of those all across the world. Even if my voice is lost, my story will still be told. 

“But you? You, Arrietti? You are unique! You are so special. And it would be so easy for a voice like yours to be lost in the roar. You deserve more than that.” 

Arrietti stood stock still, gazing into Sho’s eyes. He was laying almost completely down on top of the covers beside her, head propped on his left hand, eyes wide open and pupils blown. With his right hand, he slowly reached towards her, pressing the back of his fingers against her side softly and stroking her upper back slowly with his thumb. She pressed back against his hand, feeling it’s firm weight on her side, the gentle heat and thrum of his pulse stuttering under his skin. 

His massive, whispered voice rang in her ears. 

“You should have children. I’ll do everything I can, anything you want, for you. Provide for whatever you and your kin want and need. But I want you to live on. Please, we can’t both die out. I don’t want you to be lost.” 

Sometimes, Sho’s desires, Sho’s fears seemed so inescapably large. Things that would take an entire day for her taking mere minutes for him. He spent so much time reading, thinking, alone. To lose him would be to lose a world. It would be unbearable. 

“Anything for you, Sho. But… I don’t understand. What are you asking me?” 

His smile brightened. 

“You should invite Spiller over, sometime. Maybe for dinner.” he murmured.

He shifted on the bedspread, and Arrietti shifted her stance as the ground beneath her feet quaked with his movement.  
He leaned in close, eyes flickering shut, and pressed his lips to her hair. She reached up and placed a hand on his lips. They weren’t chapped or sticky... Just… Soft. She stroked gently, feeling a gentle gust of wind as he inhaled and exhaled ever so softly.  
Tenderly, ever so slowly, he moved back. 

“Okay, Sho, okay” For you, for you, she promised. 

She may not understand Sho, or the way he spoke, sometimes. With a deep dread of precious, small things lost. Unreplicatable moments lost forever.  
She knew better than most that things are rarely truly gone just… Repurposed. Transformed. 

But she loved him. She wanted him happy, with whatever little moments they may have forever. 

It had been for that very purpose she’d allowed herself to shy away from the brooding, brawny man in the past. She remembered the thrill running down her spine as he grinned at her, after pulling the bow taught flexing the impressive bulk of his arms.  
She remembered stepping out into the hallway with him, away from the eyes of her ever-cautious parents. 

“Wait!” she called after him. He stopped and turned, looking at her stretching her arm across the gap in front of her doorway and towards him. Spiller turnt bodily towards her, his rat pelt swinging with the movement. He stepped across the gap, making her squeak in surprise and back up, now crowded against the door. He cornered her in and bent down, murmuring in her ear. 

“If you want me, I will take you. Have you.” He leaned further in, breathing her in and stroking her silky red hair. 

“I can give what you want” he murmured, so quiet her parents on the other side of the door would have no idea what she… he… they were doing right outside of their watchful eyes. 

Spiller pulled back with a roguish grin. “When you are ready,” he promised, and disappeared into the dark labyrinth of the walls. 

Arrietty thought back on the moment. Of Spiller’s strong, musky scent overpowering her. Dirt, wild beasts, and his own pungent stench. Of the nut-brown skin, flushed bright and warm in the cheeks, making his smile and eyes dazzle further. 

She summoned up the memory she’d stuffed down so many times, of his body, side by side, pressed up against hers. 

She looked up at Sho’s face, smiling so sincerely up at her. Unshaken by the tidal wave of emotions now cascading through her. 

“Okay, Sho. Yes, I’ll do it” 

She stepped towards him, each stride feeling momentous with the volume of feather comforter under her feet. Sho lay utterly still, eyes tracking her movement. 

She pressed herself against his cheek, pressing her whole body across his face. He hummed with contentment, and the sound reverberated through her. She stepped to the side then placed a gentle kiss to the tip of his nose before stepping back. 

“I love you” 

I love you, too”


	2. A Pause in the Doorway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She blushed, imagining her mother’s squawks and father’s stern gaze if they were to see her now, so brazenly clothed, the silk caressing her slender frame. 
> 
> She shook her head, banishing the thought. There was no room for such thoughts, not with what she intended for tonight.

Arriety paced within the wall. Spiller… had not yet made an appearance. 

In a way, she was glad for it. There was something she wanted- no, needed- to do before settling down with someone. Someone not Sho. 

She ran her trembling hands down the new dress she had just finished sewing. Were her palms sweating? Was it wrinkling? Sho had gifted her a silk handkerchief with a delicate, pink floral pattern. It was so smooth to the touch; she’d never felt anything so lovely. She’d fashioned it into a long negligee, carefully working on it while her parents were preoccupied. She blushed, imagining her mother’s squawks and father’s stern gaze if they were to see her now, so brazenly clothed, the silk caressing her slender frame. 

She shook her head, banishing the thought. There was no room for such thoughts, not with what she intended for tonight. 

She unclipped her favorite hair clip, letting the waves of her hair cascade down. She took a deep breath, steadied herself, and set her clip aside. She pulled out the covering of the wall and stepped out into Sho’s room. 

She had thought long on when best to approach Sho. Should she wait until late into the Witching hour, when her parents were fast asleep, and creep out then? But, no. Sho would be asleep as well and could be difficult to rouse. And if anyone were to awake and walk in - she pulled herself away from the thought, her stomach twisting with nerves. 

Now; now was the time. Sho’s grandmother would be gone for the afternoon for her twice-monthly bridge club meeting. Her mother was engrossed with chores for the day, worked into a tizzy of cooking a hearty stew, dusting the rooms, Her father had gone expediting a near fortnight ago; he would be back soon. The steady beat of rain pattered against the slate roof. 

 

Arietty planted her feet firmly, shoulders width apart. Hips tucked, shoulders back, head level. She pursed her lips then closed her eyes. Willed herself to relax. A breath, slow and deliberate. In, slow and steady through the gentle O of her lips, counting up... One... Two.. Three. Hold a count. Then slowly out, pulling the tension out with the air. 

She opened her eyes. She's ready. And with a firm grasp, unwedges the block from the doorway and steps into Sho's room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been busy and haven't had time to write any good stuff recently. But I wanted to post a mini-update with what I'd already written to show you this fic is still alive!   
> I've been a bit nervous about posting smut, so didn't get to writing anything naughty yet... But boy do I have some smutty thoughts on where I'm going with this - with Sho and also with Spiller. 
> 
> Comments feed the author, so please review if you'd like more! Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> I've been on a major 'borrowers' binge lately.  
> Written in the heat of the moment while watching "the Secret Life Of Arrietty". 
> 
> Low Key thinking of continuing it into a smut piece. (HMU in dat comment section if you're interested)!


End file.
